Reflections from the EPHAR Summer School - July 2026

This summer, I travelled to Ankara to attend the EPHAR (Federation of European Pharmacological Societies) Summer School, hosted by the Turkish Pharmacological Society across Hacettepe University and Ankara University. It was a busy week, with laboratory sessions, scientific talks, and time exploring Ankara with fellow early career researchers.

I came home with new ideas, meaningful connections, and a renewed enthusiasm for pharmacology.

View from Hacettepe University.

A Week of Theory and Practice

The school was structured to combine theoretical teaching with hands-on practical sessions covering several laboratory techniques. Alongside experienced instructors, we saw a breadth of methodology, spanning everything from stereotaxic rodent surgery to confocal imaging and LC-MS analytical chemistry.

In particular, I enjoyed the LC-MS-based metabolomics session run by Professor Çelebier, and was especially interested to hear how artificial intelligence can help transform the complex tables of features generated by LC-MS into meaningful biological information. Here we saw a clear use-case of AI, and how it could help process messy analytical runs and pick out genuine biological signals from background noise.

Professor Iskit gave a candid talk on “Pseudoscience and Homoeopathy: A Pharmacologist’s Perspective”. We explored the history of pseudoscientific practices, from historical treatments like bloodletting through to modern controversies, such as injecting disinfectants. This felt especially timely in an age of rapid information sharing, where the distinction between robust scientific evidence and misinformation can be increasingly difficult to navigate. These discussions served as a reminder of the importance of applying critical thinking when evaluating pharmacological claims, and also challenged me to think about how we can effectively communicate science to the wider community in a noisy digital landscape.

 

Bringing It All Together at the EPHAR Symposium

The week ended on a high at the EPHAR Symposium, “From Past to Present: Insights of Pharmacology”, which brought together talks from leading figures in the field. The BPS’s own Professor Clive Page presented “His adventures in pulmonary pharmacology”. It was great to hear his career journey through pharmacological research, notably hearing an honest account of the translational challenges and the realistic ups and downs of drug discovery.

This was accompanied by networking over coffee and lunch, giving us an opportunity to discuss our respective research projects and step back to think more broadly about where pharmacology is heading across Europe. For other early career researchers attending similar events, my best advice is to keep networking simple: asking people their research area was the fastest way to break the ice.

The People Made It

Beyond the science, what made the summer school truly rewarding was the community. I was able to connect with fellow early career researchers from across Europe, comparing notes on our projects, potential career paths, and the shared challenges of PhD life. Conversations over coffee breaks and dinners were just as valuable as the formal sessions, and I’ve come away with a network of contacts I hope to stay in touch with!

When it comes to group networking, my top tip is to take the initiative and set up a cohort group chat early in the week. It made it easy to organise social plans in Ankara and stay connected after flying home.

 

Cohort of the EPHAR Summer School in Ankara.

 

Thanks Where Thanks Are Due

None of this would have been possible without the organisation and hospitality of Professor N. Tũgba Durlu-Kandilci and the wider organising team, who put together a programme that was as informative and engaging as it was genuinely fun. My thanks also go to everyone involved in making the summer school and symposium such a memorable experience, and to the British Pharmacological Society for supporting my attendance and allowing me to represent the Society.

I’d recommend the EPHAR Summer School to any early career pharmacologist looking to sharpen their laboratory skills, broaden their scientific network, and get a real sense of the pharmacology community